Fastening device



April 22, 1958 P. D. BECKER FASTENING DEVICE Filed May 7. 1953 CHER,

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PHILIP D. BE Enf ATTORNEY United States Patent FASTENING DEVICE Philip D. Becker, Hingham, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application May 7, 1953, Serial No. 353,494

3 Claims. (Cl. 287-1) This invention relates generally to fastening devices, and has particular reference to a fastener for retaining the end of a tube in a support opening.

In the construction of articles of furniture or the like, in which steel tubes are used as a frame, it is frequently necessary for the end of the tubes to be securely retained in an opening in a wooden member. For example, the back portion of a chair, which is formed of wood, must be assembled onto the ends of two upright tubular members. To enable the chair to be shipped disassembled, to be assembled by the customer, the means for retaining the back on the tubular members must enable the assembly to be made easily, yet must be capable of firmly retaining the back in assembly.

The object of the invention is to provide a fastener for assembly into an opening in a support to receive and engage a tubular member inserted therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fastener for this purpose which is formed of a single strip of sheet metal.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair having a back portion assembled thereon in accordance with the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fastener embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a support showing the fastener member assembled thereon;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken on line 5 5 1; and

Fig. 6 is a view in section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a fastening device 10, which is adapted for assembly into an opening 12 in a chair back 14, to receive and engage a tubular member 16.

The fastening device is preferably formed of a single strip of resilient sheet metal, and comprises generally a base 18 for seating against the bottom of the opening, a pair of arms 20 extending from opposite ends of the base in the same general direction and a U-shaped porof Fig.

. tion 22 formed in the base and extending in the same general direction as the arms so as to be disposed therebetween.

The arms 20 have a transverse bend 24 at approximately the medial portion to provide outwardly flaring end portions 26, which terminate in a bifurcated end 28 having outwardly bent tangs 30.

The U-shaped portion 22 of the base extends a substantial distance between the arms and is provided with tongues 32 which extend laterally therefrom for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

The fastener 10 is initially assembled into the opening 12 so that the base seats in the bottom of the opening.

2,83 1,7 l 5 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 ICC The distance between the ends of the arms Ztl is greater than the diameter of the opening; hence, when the fastener is inserted the-rein, the arms are flexed toward each other so that the transverse bends 24 form an inwardly protruding portion (see Fig. 4).

The tube 16 may. then be assembled by merelyy forcing the end thereof into the opening, so that the tube passes between the arms 'and forces the transverse bend portion 24 outwardly to straighten the arms, and forces the tangs 3b on the ends of the arms outwardly to dig into engagement with the wall of the opening (see Fig. 6).

As the tubes passes further into the opening, the U- shaped portion 22 of the base enters the end of the tube. The `distance between the tongues on opposite sides of the U-shaped portion is greater than the diameter of the bore of the tube; hence, said tongues dig into engagement with the interior of the tube to firmly retain the tube in the opening. The transverse portion 34 at the end of the U-shaped portion backs up the tongues to prevent them from moving inwardly when the tube is inserted, so that they provide a rigid engagement with the tube.

Although the fastener is particularly adapted for use in the assembly of chair backs onto chair frames formed of tubular material, it is readily adapted to any other application where a tube must be retained in an opening.

Since certain obvious changes may be made in the device without `departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

l claim:

l. A fastener for securing the end of a tube into an opening in a support comprising a piece of sheet metal having a generally U-shaped portion, a base and a pair of arms inwardly bowed along the longitudinal axis and extending from the base in the same general direction, said arms having tangs thereon for engaging the wall of the support, the U-shaped portion being disposed between said arms and having tangs outwardly projecting for engaging the wall of the tube inserted into the support opening.

2. A fastener for securing the end of a tube in an opening of a support, comprising a strip of sheet metal bent to provide a base and a pair of arms, extending in the same general direction from opposite ends of the base, said arms being inwardly bowed and having outwardly ared end portions, said base having a U-shaped portion formed therein extending between said arms, and tangs between the arms on the U-shaped portion for engaging the inner surface of the wall of a tubular member in serted into the support opening.

3. A fastener for securing the end of a tube in an opening in a support comprising a single strip of sheet metal bent to provide a base and a pair of inwardly bowed arms extending in the same general direction from opposite ends of the base, said arms having outwardly flared end portions with tangs thereon for digging into engagement with the wall of the support opening, said base having a U-shaped portion extending therefrom in the same general direction as the said arms, said U- shaped portion being disposed between the inwardly bowed arms and having tangs projecting therefrom for engagement with the inner wall of the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 631,579 Neuberth Aug. 22, 1899 1,488,014 McDonald Mar. 25, 1924 1,987,035 Tideman Jan. 8, 1935 2,670,226 Becker Feb. 23, 1954 

